1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system in which a vehicle-mounted security apparatus and an emergency communication service apparatus are coordinated. More particularly, the present invention relates to a security and emergency communication service coordination system which is capable of detecting an abnormal condition occurring in a vehicle, e.g., that a door is ajar, by a security apparatus, notifying a user of the detection of this state via an emergency communication service apparatus, or controlling the security of a vehicle from a location distant from the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, because of increasing crime, vandalism of vehicles and thefts occur frequently, and car security apparatuses for coping with this have rapidly become common. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a car security apparatus. Reference numeral 1 denotes a security apparatus, and reference numeral 2 denotes a remote controller. In the security apparatus 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a security control section comprising a microcomputer, which performs control of starting/stopping (arming/disarming), etc., of security in accordance with a command from the remote controller 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a transmission and reception section which (1) performs high-frequency amplification, frequency conversion, digital demodulation, etc., in order to receive and demodulate data sent from the remote controller 2, and (2) modulates a carrier wave into digital form by a predetermined modulation method, such as FSK (phase shift keying) modulation, in accordance with data input from the security control section 3, and then performs frequency conversion and power amplification thereon and transmits it to the remote controller 2.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a group of sensors; 5a denotes a door sensor for detecting the open and closed state of the door, 5b denotes a trunk sensor for detecting the opening or closing of a trunk, and 5c denotes a hood sensor for detecting the opening or closing of a hood (bonnet) of a vehicle. In addition to the sensors shown in the figure, motion sensors and other sensors are provided. Reference numeral 6 denotes an alarm unit for generating various alarms when an abnormal condition is detected; 6a denotes a siren driving circuit for sounding a siren, 6b denotes a headlight flashing circuit (flash) for flashing a head lamp, and 6c denotes a starter cut section for disabling engine ignition.
In such a car security system, when a driver exits a car and closes the door, after the driver presses a dual-purpose arming/disarming key of a remote controller, the remote controller emits radio waves such that a carrier wave is converted into digital form in accordance with transmission data (ID code, arming instruction code, etc.). The radio waves are received by an antenna of the security main unit disposed in the vehicle and are input to the transmission and reception section 4 whereby the radio waves are received and demodulated. Subsequently, the security control section 3 checks if the received ID code matches the ID code which has been pre-entered into a built-in memory (not shown). If they match each other, an arming operation (security operation) is started. When the security apparatus has been armed, outputs from various sensors, such as door sensors, hood (bonnet) sensors, trunk sensors, etc., are monitored, and when a predetermined sensor is triggered, an alarm is generated. For example, when a door sensor detects the opening of a door during arming, the security main unit drives the siren, performs flashing control of a head lamp, or disables (ignition cutoff) ignition of the engine in order to prevent theft.
Also, coming into common use recently is an emergency communication service system in which a connection is established with a specific location (response center) via a portable telephone network, and various services can be received from the response center during an emergency. This is called a xe2x80x9cMayday systemxe2x80x9d in the United States. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a Mayday system. Reference numeral 11 denotes a vehicle-mounted emergency communication service apparatus (Mayday unit). Reference numeral 12 denotes a response center which responds to a request from the emergency communication service apparatus (Mayday unit). Reference numeral 13 denotes an emergency center for dispatching an ambulance, etc., in accordance with an instruction from the response center. Reference numeral 14 denotes a road side assistance center (corresponding to JAF (Japan Automobile Federation)) which deals with car troubles, such as flat tires and running out of gasoline. In the emergency communication service apparatus (Mayday unit) 11, 11a denotes a Mayday unit control section which comprises a car telephone transmission and reception section, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiving section for measuring the car position, an acoustic circuit, and a microcomputer for control; 11b denotes a cellular antenna (antenna for car telephone); 11c denotes a GPS antenna; 11d denotes a portable telephone terminal; 11e denotes an operation section (key/LED section), 11f denotes a microphone; 11g denotes a speaker; 11h denotes an automatic door lock unit; and 11idenotes an engine disabling unit.
Examples of services of the Mayday system include:
(1) notification of an accident,
(2) remote door unlock when locked with the key inside,
(3) roadside assistance,
(4) engine disable,
(5) navigation assistance, and
(6) search for stolen car.
The xe2x80x9cnotification of an accidentxe2x80x9d in service (1) is a service in which a user calls the response center 12 by operating a predetermined key of the operation section 11e so as to notify the response center of an accident from the portable telephone unit 11d. The response center 12 notifies the emergency center 13 and the police station so as to arrange for emergency and accident procedures. The xe2x80x9cremote door unlock when a door is locked with the key insidexe2x80x9d in service (2) is a service in which a notification is made to the response center 12 by telephone, and an unlock command is sent from the response center to the Mayday unit control section 11a in order to perform automatic unlock. The xe2x80x9croadside assistancexe2x80x9d in service (3) is a service in which, when there is a flat tire, the user runs out of gasoline, etc., the response center 12 is called to notify of the necessity of road side assistance from the portable telephone unit 11d. The response center 12 notifies the road side assistance center 14 to arrange to send an assistance crew. The xe2x80x9cengine disablexe2x80x9d in service (4) is a service in which, when a car is carjacked, the response center 12 is notified by telephone, and an ignition cutoff command is sent to the Mayday unit control section 11a from the response center so that the ignition of the engine is disabled. The xe2x80x9cnavigation assistancexe2x80x9d in service (5) is a service in which an operator of the response center 12 gives route guidance to a destination by voice. The xe2x80x9csearch for stolen carxe2x80x9d in service (6) is a service in which, when a car is stolen, the response center 12 is notified by telephone, and a car position request command is sent from the response center to the Mayday unit control section 11a so that the car position is obtained by the Mayday unit control section 11a and provided to the user.
In the manner as described above, generally, the Mayday system makes it possible to receive various services when the user operates the operation section 11e inside the car in order to connect the Mayday unit 11 to the response center 12 or when the user communicates with the response center 12 by using an external telephone unit. However, since the construction of the system is such that the user makes a connection request to the response center regarding car security, as in the xe2x80x9csearch for stolen carxe2x80x9d in service (6) after the damage has occurred, the user notices the damage and provides notification, the notification is too late and insufficient from the viewpoint of security.
Some conventional security apparatuses have a door-ajar alarm function that utilizes a door sensor. However, it may be the case that some time is required until the door being ajar is recognized and an alarm is issued, and therefore, the user is far away from the car by the time the alarm is sounded, and the door-ajar alarm does not reach the user. FIGS. 11A and 11B are illustrations of conventional door-ajar alarms. In the security apparatus 1, the door is closed, and subsequently, arming is instructed from the remote controller 2. When the door is closed, the intensity of the interior lamp is gradually decreased, and consequently, the door sensor recognizes that the door is closed as a result of the fact that the interior lamp voltage falls below a predetermined level. From the foregoing, in the security apparatus 1, after arming, after an elapse of T seconds (for example, 10 seconds), a determination is made as to the open or closed state of the door. When the door is closed, this is considered to be desirable (FIG. 11A). However, as shown in FIG. 11B, when the door is open, a door-ajar alarm is given. However, since T seconds have elapsed, it may be that the user is considerably away from the car and does not notice the door-ajar alarm.
Also, it may be desired to confirm whether the security of a vehicle is in operation (is armed) from a distant location, such as a location of a person during a trip or a place at which the person is staying. However, this has hitherto been impossible.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to coordinate a security system and a Mayday system so as to make it possible to notify a response center of an abnormal condition of a car, as detected by a security apparatus, and furthermore, to notify a user.
Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to determine whether the abnormal condition is caused by a malfunction of a sensor or a thief actually trying to steal a car, by sending abnormal-condition-detected notification together with sounds from within the vehicle to a response center at the same time. In the case of malfunction, alarms (sirens, flashes, etc.) are quickly stopped. Alternatively, if a thief is trying to steal a car, a continuous alarm mode (panic mode) is set to thwart the thief.
A further object of the present invention is to coordinate a security system and a Mayday system so as to make it possible to notify, via the Mayday system, a response center that a door is ajar, as detected by a security apparatus, and furthermore, to notify a user.
A still further object of the present invention is to coordinate a security system and a Mayday system so as to make it possible to confirm whether the security system in a vehicle is in operation (has been armed) from a distant location, such as the location of a person on a trip or a place where the person is staying, and furthermore, to set an arming mode if the security system is not armed.
According to the present invention, the above-mentioned objects are achieved by connecting a security apparatus, which detects an abnormal condition occurring in a vehicle and issues an alarm, and an emergency communication service apparatus, which notifies a response center of an emergency condition during an emergency, so that information can be mutually transmitted and received. The security apparatus can notify the emergency communication service apparatus of the occurrence of an abnormal condition when the security apparatus detects the abnormal condition occurring in the vehicle, and in response to the notification, notify the user of the occurrence of the abnormal condition via the response center by the emergency communication service apparatus. In such a case, the response center prestores the correspondence among the vehicle ID numbers and the telephone numbers or the pager numbers of the contact locations so that the emergency communication service apparatus sends the vehicle ID number together with the abnormal-condition occurrence notification to the response center, and the response center calls the contact location indicated by the vehicle ID number in order to notify the user of the occurrence of the abnormal condition. As a result of the above, it is possible for the user to be quickly informed of the occurrence of an abnormal condition and to deal with the illicit actions of a thief, thereby preventing the theft of the vehicle.
Furthermore, in the present invention, when the emergency communication service apparatus transmits sounds from within the vehicle together with the abnormal-condition occurrence notification and receives a command for stopping an alarm state or a command for setting a continuous panic mode from the response center, the emergency communication service apparatus sends the command to the security apparatus so that the security apparatus is made to operate in accordance with the command. By transmitting sounds from within the vehicle together with the abnormal-condition occurrence notification at the same time, it is possible for the response center to determine whether the sensor has malfunctioned or whether a thief is actually trying to steal the car. In the former case, the alarm is quickly stopped, or in the latter case, the continuous panic mode is set to thwart the thief.
Furthermore, in the present invention, when arming is instructed, the security apparatus detects the opening or closing of the door after an elapse of a predetermined time. When the door is open, the security apparatus determines that a door is ajar and notifies the emergency communication service apparatus. In response to the notification, the emergency communication service apparatus notifies, via the response center, the user that a door is ajar. When this is done, it is possible for the user to reliably be informed that a door is ajar and to deal with it.
Furthermore, in the present invention, when the emergency communication service apparatus receives an inquiry from the response center as to whether or not the security apparatus has been armed, the emergency communication service apparatus identifies the operating state of the security apparatus and notifies the response center. Also, when the security apparatus has not been armed, the emergency communication service apparatus can cause the security apparatus to be armed. As a result, it is possible for the user to confirm whether the security of the vehicle is in operation (is armed) via the response center from a distant location, such as a trip location, and furthermore, if the security apparatus is not armed, the security apparatus can be placed in an armed mode.
The above and further objects, aspects and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.